New bike lane near City Hall goes against the flow

Bicyclists interested in self-preservation learn quickly that it’s not a good idea to pedal against traffic, and safety experts discourage the practice, saying wrong-way riding is a leading cause of injury accidents.

But starting Friday on Polk Street, northbound bike riders will be encouraged to pedal in the opposite direction of one-way traffic — in the safety of a new bright green, protected and landscaped “contra-flow bike” lane.

City crews have installed the against-the-grain lane on the short one-way stretch of Polk between Grove and Market streets. The northbound bike riders are separated from traffic by a 6-foot-wide raised island that’s planted with succulents.

While the wrong-way ride ends at Grove, where Polk becomes a two-way street, the lime-green painted lane continues past City Hall. The existing southbound bike lane on Polk Street has also been given the green treatment through the area.

City officials plan to unveil the new contra-flow lane, and accompanying paint jobs, at an 11 a.m. ribbon-cutting at Market and Polk streets.